Dispensing machines for wipe materials are widely used. These machines are often of the type comprising a housing that internally accommodates a drum that receives a cutting device which is articulated relative to the drum and during rotation of the latter; the drum is positioned between support side pieces. The roll of material is positioned either resting on the drum or between support side pieces above in the upper part of the housing. A pressure roller is used to press against the drum and allows transport of the web of material towards the back of the machine in order to allow completely safe cutting of the web of material, by above-mentioned cutting device, to a predetermined size. The rolls of material comprise a core that supports the turns of material tightly wound in accordance with the characteristics of the material and market in question. This type of wipe material dispensing machine is generally installed in areas accessible to the public, in areas for company staff or on premises of public sector or private establishments and it is necessary to provide an adequate maintenance organisation to ensure refilling of dispensing machines when the roll of material is exhausted. Faced with the risk of machines that need to be re-filled being effectively put out of service, many technical solutions have been devised making it possible to install a so-called “spare” or “stub” roll of material before the so-called “main”, “service” or “supply” roll of material is exhausted. For reasons of clarity, the subsequent text will use the term “stub roll” for a roll that is about to be used up and which is located in a stub roll position. Similarly, the term “main roll” will be used for a full or partially used roll that is located in a main roll or re-fill position, where the main roll is initially placed when re-filling the dispenser. When the stub roll of material is nearly used up it is generally moved by the operator tasked with maintenance towards the bottom rear of the machine with means enabling cutting, depending on the state of the main roll, until it is completely used up by controlling the dispensing of a web of material from the main roll which in turn becomes the stub roll. This is described in several patents such as FR 2 547 716, FR 2 703 343, FR 2 713 075, FR 2 731 608, FR 2 739 545, EP 1 083 816, PCT/FR94/00116 or EP 889 701.
In some cases, transfer and starting of the main roll is initiated by monitoring the stub roll as its diameter reduces, this diameter, for example, acting on transfer means. The stub roll of material that is nearly used up is simply placed in the rear of the machine by the operator who feeds the hanging end of the web of material from the stub roll into the area where the latter is inserted between the drum and the pressure roller and two thicknesses of material are unwound simultaneously until the stub roll is exhausted. There can therefore be wastage, depending on the lengths of the overlapping webs of material taken off from the stub roll and the main roll.
In the solution described in Patent EP 1 083 816, the main roll of material has a hanging free end of material facing the insertion area between the drum and the pressure roller. A flap and rod means making it possible to detect and monitor the weight of the core of the exhausted roll relative to the calibration of a spring, triggers the flap functionality in order to insert the web of material from the main roll between the drum and the pressure roller, this roll in turn becoming the stub roll.
This means is complex and its operation is greatly affected by the particular spring that is chosen to ensure monitoring of the weight of the core of the stub roll that is nearly used up.
The Patent EP 889 701 describes a device for detecting the presence of the web of material from the stub roll when it is nearly used up and when said web is in contact with the drum. To achieve this, the drum is designed with very wide scalloping so that when the last cut-to-size piece of the stub roll escapes, the device swivels, thereby triggering placement of the end of the web from the main roll between the drum and the pressure roller. This swivelling of the device takes place inside the drum.
The problem in this situation with this implementation is the fact that the core of the stub roll that is nearly used up tends to “jump” and come into contact with the area behind the drum and the pressure component, possibly causing the dispensing machine to be put out of service by inopportune jamming. In practice, this solution involves maintenance problems.
The object of the invention is therefore to look for another solution that was more dependable and reliable in terms of functionality.
Another sought-after object of the invention was to ensure an improved storage area for stub rolls that are nearly used up and enable them to be removed easily by the maintenance operative after they are used up.
Another sought-after object of the invention was to monitor depletion of a roll of material that is nearly used up differently and more reliably by monitoring the physical presence of the material from a stub roll that is nearly used up and to trigger placement in use of the main roll in a simple manner.
Another sought-after object of the invention was to limit the presence of a double thickness of material taken from the two rolls (stub roll and main roll) to a single cut—equivalent to one revolution of the drum.
Another sought-after object of the invention was to monitor the position and movement of the core and the stub roll that is nearly used up in order to prevent inopportune movement of the latter and associated risks of the dispensing machine jamming in the event of excessive tensile force being exerted.
Given these objects, the solution devised has involved a wide-ranging rethink of the internal layout of the wipe material dispensing machine and the inclusion of new additional means closely involved in correct operation of the machine during the transitional phase of changeover from the stub roll to the main roll.
These objects and others will become apparent from the following description.